Lusitano horses
Located in the south western part of Europe, Portugal is flanked by Spain in the north and east and the opulent Atlantic Ocean in the south and west. It is a country which ahs within a short period of time established its prowess in the world emerging at par with the first world nations. The country of Portugal has for long been synonymous with horse riding and equestrian activities and its origin can be traced back to ancient times, which will be evident.
Among all the prevalent horse breeds in Portugal which participate in equestrian activities the most well known and admired is the Lusitano horse breed. In Portugal, one can trace the beginning of equestrian activities from the historical times and the origin of this horse breed can also be best explained by exploiting the sources that have been available from history. It is commonly regarded that the Portuguese horse breeds are related to the early Iberian horses and such primitive representations of what later came to be recognized as the Lusitano horse have been found as depicted in the various cave paintings of the Alentejo region in Portugal and the Malaga region in Spain. There are also numerous evidences that the name 'Lusitano' has certain historical significances. In the classical period, it was around 138 BC that Portugal was included within the vast territories of the formidable Roman Empire and named Lusitania. This is supposed to have derived its origin from the name of the son of the roman god Bacchus, called Luso. Therefore, now it is quite easy for one to notice the similarity in names and realize that how horse riding has immense historical associations in Portugal. It is also believed that the Lusitano horses evolved from the Sorraia horse breeds which are characterized by their convex heads.